Rochester Hills City Council approves conditional use permit for second Premier Academy location

The Rochester Hills City Council approved in a 6-1 vote early Tuesday morning a conditional use permit for Premier Academy, a daycare building set to be built at the corner of Adams and Tienken Roads.

The city council meeting, which began at 7 p.m. Monday night, was standing room only with many people in red shirts in support of Premier Academy and others wearing green shirts in opposition of the project being built at the intersection.

Countless people also held up signs, some reading “No to this location,” and others reading, “Vote yes.”

The location would accommodate 162 students and 22 employees. The site the building would be constructed on is zoned R-1 One Family Residential, which permits child care centers as a conditional use.

“The Rochester Hills City Council did what they’re supposed to do. They followed their charter, they followed their administrative purpose, and that was the outcome we did expect,” said Julie Nemeth of Premier Academy.

Thirty-nine people spoke during public comment, both in support and against the proposed development location.

One of the issues up for debate was potential traffic issues at the intersection.

A one-day traffic study at the intersection concluded that added traffic from the development would have little impact on traffic volumes, but some raised concerns during public comment that the traffic study should have been conducted over the course of more than just one day.

The development company will make alterations to adjacent roadways, which will include increasing the Tienken Road center turn lane by 150 feet. Prohibition of left turns on the proposed Adams Road entrance and exit would also be implemented.

“This is a conditional use permit, it is a use that already exists within our ordinances,” said council member Ryan Deel. “Therefore our discretion is limited and we have to fulfill our administrative function.”

City council member Jenny McCardell voted against the conditional use permit.

“It feels like there are some good opportunities to make some positive impacts, but I also don’t know how much we’ve done to document the character of that area. I’m not sure that is what was intended for that corner,” McCardell said.

Premier Academy owner and developer Jeff Schmitz first submitted plans to the city for a concept plan review in February 2017.

The planning commission postponed a decision in August 2017 and asked the developer to make adjustments to the site and adjacent roadways.

Premier Academy held a community open house on Dec. 11, 2017 at the Oakland Township location to present proposed plans to community members.

The planning commission approved a conditional use plan and site plan at its Dec. 19, 2017 meeting.